Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Jacobite relics of Scotland > Second series

NOTES. 229
and selfish designs of others, has proved so far from lessening- and
healing the differences betwixt his majesty's subjects of Scotland
and England, that it has widened and increased them ; and it
appears by experience so inconsistent with the rights, privileges,
and interests of us and our good neighbours and fellow-subjects
of England, that the continuance of it must inevitably ruin us
and hurt them : nor can any way be found out to relieve us, and
restore our ancient and independent constitution, but by restoring
our rightful and natural king, who has the only undoubted right
to reign over us. Neither can we hope that the party who chiefly
contributed to bring us into bondage will at any time endeavour
to work our relief, since it's known how strenuously they oppos'd,
in two late instances, the efforts that were made by all Scotsmen,
by themselves, and supported by the best and wisest of the Eng-
lish, towards so desirable an end, as they will not adventure
openly to disown the dissolution of the Union to be. Our sub-
stance has been wasted in the late ruinous wars, and we see an
unavoidable prospect of having wars continued on us and our
posterity, so long as the possession of the crown is not in the right
line. The hereditary rights of the subjects, though confirmed by
conventions and parliaments, are now treated as of no value or
force ; and past services to the crown and royal family are now
looked upon as grounds of suspicion. A packed-up assembly,
who call themselves a British parliament, have, as far as in them
lies, inhumanly murder'd their own and our sovereign, by pro-
mising a great sum of money as the reward of so execrable a
crime. They have proscrib'd, by unaccountable and groundless
impeachments and attainders, the worthy patriots of England, for
their honourable and successful endeavours to restore trade,
plent3^, an( l P eace > to these nations.
They have broken in upon the sacred laws of both countries,
by which the liberty of our persons were secured. They have em-
powered a foreign prince (who, notwithstanding his expectations
of the crown for fifteen years, is still unacquainted with our man-
ners, customs, and language,) to make an absolute conquest (if
not timely prevented) of the three kingdoms, by investing himself
with an unlimited power, not only of raising unnecessary forces
at home, but also of calling in foreign troops, ready to promote
his uncontroulable designs. Nor can we be ever hopeful of its
being otherwise, in the way it is at present, for some generations
to come ; and the sad consequences of these unexampled proceed-
ings have really been so fatal to great numbers of our kinsmen,
friends, and fellow-subjects of both kingdoms, that they have been
constrained to abandon their country, houses, wives, and children,
or give themselves up prisoners, or perhaps victims to be sacrificed
at the pleasure of foreigners, and a few hot-headed men of a rest-
less faction whom they employ. Our troops abroad, notwith-